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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
A MAN from Pumula East suburb in Bulawayo allegedly committed suicide a day after arriving from South Africa where he is based.

Samuel Mphola (33) allegedly hanged himself using a copper cable on Tuesday and was discovered by a resident who was fetching vegetables in a nearby garden.

Mphola’s identity was only established on the following day after his family learnt about the suicide through WhatsApp messages.
His sister, Ms Abinet Mphola, said: “He told me the medication he was taking had adverse effects on his body. I’m not sure what he was suffering from; it could be TB, cancer, diabetes or could have tested HIV positive. He never told anyone.”

She said her brother disappeared on Tuesday morning while she was preparing to accompany him to the clinic. Ms Mphola said her brother had been ill for some time and as a family they had resolved that he should seek treatment.

“On Monday night we discussed with him that he should seek treatment. We agreed go to the clinic the following day. I had suggested that he goes with my child. But he didn’t seem to like that idea and I later agreed to go with him. On Tuesday morning we woke up preparing to go to the clinic. He later said he had decided to go alone. A few minutes later he was gone,” she said. Ms Mphola said her brother left the house on Tuesday without shoes and was just putting on socks and a black T-shirt.

She said the family spent the whole day searching for him but could not locate him.

Ms Mphola said the incident occurred a day after both of them arrived from South Africa.

“We came together from South Africa on Monday where we’re both based. He has not been feeling well and was on treatment. But when I met him recently he looked drained and complained that his medication had been changed,” she said. Ms Mphola said Samuel did not leave any suicide note and the family is failing to come to terms with his death.

“This is something that is new in the family. We have never had anyone committing suicide in our family. We are supposed to hold a memorial service for our father who passed on last year this month,” she said. Police have repeatedly urged members of the public to seek counselling whenever they are facing problems, instead of turning to suicide. — @nqotshili